Educate Girls, an Indian nonprofit focused on bringing out-of-school girls into education, has been awarded the 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award

What is it?

Asia's top honor, presented each year for remarkable bravery, honesty, and dedication to others.

Founded in 1957 by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund to honor Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay (who died in a plane crash in 1957).

Eligibility: Persons and organizations from Asia demonstrating “nobility of heart in altruistic service to the community.”

Attributes: Every recipient is awarded a medallion depicting Magsaysay, a certificate, and a monetary reward.

Victors from India:

Vinoba Bhave (1958) – First Recipient

Lately:

Bezwada Wilson and T.M. Krishna (2016) – Rights of Humans; Carnatic Traditions

Bharat Vatwani and Sonam Wangchuk (2018) – Reinstating Wellness and Respect to Challenging Lives; Learning for Community Advancement

Ravish Kumar (2019) – Journalism

Ravi Kannan R. (2023) – Medical Care

2025 Special Note: Educate Girls was the first Indian organization to achieve this award.

About the NGO Educate Girls:

Complete Name: Foundation to Educate Girls Worldwide (commonly known as Educate Girls).

Established in 2007 by Safeena Husain, who graduated from the London School of Economics.

Goal: To disrupt the pattern of illiteracy and poverty by engaging communities and governments to enhance girls’ education in rural and underprivileged regions. Slogan: "One girl at a moment."

Functions/Projects:

Community engagement: Locating girls not attending school, registering them, and ensuring they stay enrolled.

Collaborations with government: Expanding initiatives with public assistance.

Innovative finance: Introduced the first Development Impact Bond globally (2015) in education.

Pragati Programme: Open education for young women (15–29 years) to finish secondary schooling.

Impact: Currently functions in 30,000 villages, helping more than 2 million girls, with a retention rate exceeding 90%.